Watercress: The Other Leafy Green

Most Read

Here in the GH Test Kitchen we always rely on our amazing interns to do the shopping for us. They're our eyes and ears on "the street." And by "the street" I mean, of course, the supermarket. While we typically work 6 months in advance (it's Christmas in July here!) we're constantly asking them to keep a look out for tasty produce that's in season and to bring us back whatever looks good.

Our current intern, a lovely English woman named Jo, recently came to us bursting at the seams about some great watercress she had found. (Yes, we're food folk and yes, watercress makes us that excited.):

"I've quickly learned here in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen that we're always on the hunt for imaginative ways to use fresh, in-season produce, which is why I couldn't resist the beautiful bunch of watercress I saw in my neighborhood green market yesterday. Did you know that watercress is the oldest green vegetable known to man, and can be traced back to Roman times? Introduced from Europe, it's even said to be a cure for hangovers, among other things.

Back in Britain I've seen watercress's stock soar — from an almost forgotten afterthought to a trendy superfood, cropping up on menus and in recipes everywhere. Finally, watercress is being recognized as a fabulous ingredient in its own right. A perfect antidote to the excess of the July 4th holiday weekend (still reeling from that), the crisp green sprigs are really healthful, containing vitamins A and C, as well as calcium and iron. Its peppery bite is just the thing during the hot summer months.

The moist green leaves can certainly add some zip to your dish. Try them to rev up salads, dips, and sandwiches (well, I am from England!). British beauty Liz Hurley even swears by watercress soup to maintain her trim figure." -Joanna Keohane

Here are some other GH recipe ideas where watercress will work wonders: